Fall into the season for SCUBA

While the WA slopes are a ways from a snowy blanket, the waterways of Puget Sound are always open to your adventures. As the temperature drops, water visibility rises. With glacial formation of sharp deep cliffs and a till strewn bottom, the fjord offers unique opportunities to check out dive spots accessed easily from the shore.

Pull over on Hwy 101, don your gear, and within minutes, you are in the water. So convenient, you can dive and be seated for lunch in Hoodsport by noon. Schools of ancient cod and nudibranchs, the famous giant Pacific octopus and the snaggle toothed, but clever ,wolf eels are just a few of the highlights of the descent.

In Hoodsport stop by YSS Dive, the local dive shop located next to the public dock in town for air, gear and advice. They also offer classes for beginners and advanced courses for seasoned divers. Along with a new dive charter in Brinnon, Pallin' Around Charters, YSS Dive now offers two charter boats that can be reserved.

Stay a while

Local lodging around Hoodsport also caters to the scuba crowd. A couple of our favorites are Mike's Beach Resort, Glen Ayr Resort, Sunrise Resort & Motel, and the Waterfront at Potlatch. Mike's is a perennial favorite with easy access to the dive locations right in their front yard. Glen Ayr has heated dive locker and a gear cleaning station and their dock offers moorage and impromptu dives.

Eat Locally

Many of the vacation rental cabins in this area have kitchens but if you want breakfast out we suggest hitting the Tides Restaurant – quick and friendly, with loaded plates.

Lunch and dinner, or even a quick espresso on the way to and from the dive – stop by our Fjord Oyster Bank café located just north of town. You can also pick up the latest copy (or past copies of the Fjord).

Another great spot for local oyster is Hama Hama Oyster Co. Aim for a table in one of their quirky waterfront A-frames and try the oysters and clams (and the crab cakes). El Puerto de Angeles located in Hoodsport next to YSS Dive also has good food and great patio views of the Canal.

Popular Fjord Dives

Although parking is limited at Octopus Hole, this wall site is accessed from shore and appropriate for all experience levels. Bring a flashlight, there are plenty of friendly octopus and wolf eels. This is a protected site so no disturbing inhabitants (and no taking the bottles that the eightlegged creatures like to hide in).

The best dive near Hoodsport is Sund Rock Marine Preserve. Privately held, the site is managed by the Sund family. Entry fee includes dive beach entry, freshwater rinse and warm shower, picnic area, and parking.

Reserve at sundrock.com and fill out a request for a day and time to dive during the week.

Outside of Lilliwaup, just to the South of Mike’s Beach Resort, is Flag Pole Point. More comfortably accessed by boat, you can free swim to it also. This site consists of a series of rock formations (the knuckle), rising like a range of mountains from the ocean floor. Since this formation is farther out and exposed to currents, this site often has excellent visibility. Ling cod lay their eggs at this protected site, and there are resident wolf eel and octopus populations. Since the rise of “the knuckle” is rapid, the site can be difficult to locate.

South of Hoodsport lies Potlatch Park.

While diving at Potlatch is less dramatic, if you are just getting your flippers wet, this is a good place to start out. This shore diving spot is easy to get to, has showers to wash off gear, and it is a great place to get comfortable with equipment and techniques. To find out more about diving locations and links to services, visit Mason County's tourism resource, explorehoodcanal.com.

Olympic Peninsula Edible PLANT & MUSHROOM TOURS

The way climbs a little hump before making a gradual descent toward the river. While the surrounding forest can be dark at times, come spring hundreds of trilliums line the way adding whites, pinks, and purples to the emerald landscape.

Professional forager, Jerry Novak, is once again offering educational tours in collaboration with Hood Canal Adventures near Brinnon. Novak guides guests on a walk through meadow, wetland, forest, and riparian habitats in search of edible and medicinal plants, mushrooms and lichens. His current tours include identification, uses, benefits, and preparation tips.

Wild Mushrooms of the Olympic Peninsula – Field Tour

Oct 6, 7, 14, 15, 20-22, 28 & 29; Nov 3-5, 11, 12, 17-19, 25 & 26; Dec 1-3, 9 & 10. 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM Learn about edible and non-edible mushrooms, foraging skills, sustainable harvesting and how to make a spore print!

Forest Edibles

Aug 12 & 19; Sept 2 & 16; Oct 1 & 8 10:30 AM –1:00 PM. Your knowledgeable guide, Novak, will take you on a 2.5 hour walk in search of the season’s wild edible and medicinal plants, mushrooms and lichen found on the Olympic Peninsula.

Soon the Duckabush River’s roar becomes more audible. During the wetter months it is quite loud. You are almost there. The trail makes a short steep drop and emerges along the banks of the Duckabush. A short distance beyond reach the famed fishing spot. Here the river crashes and thunders through a narrow rocky chasm to a deep pool. Frothy gurgling waters crash up against the narrow cleft. Be sure to keep children and dogs nearby while admiring this landmark.

When the sun is shining, its ray reach this spot, providing a little warmth and light and providing a nice contrast to the dark and damp surrounding forest.

Your guide will teach you identification, uses, benefits, and preparation tips on the wonderful gifts nature provides that we often walk past every day. A delicious tea or other wild edible dish will be prepared for you with what we find along the way!

Land Agency Contact: Olympic National Forest, Hood Canal Ranger District, Quilcene, (360) 765-2200, www.fs.usda. gov/olympic; and Olympic National Park, Wilderness Information Center, (360)565-3100, nps.gov/olym

Recommended Guidebook: Day Hiking

Olympic Peninsula 2nd edition (Romano, Mountaineers Books)

Tours leave from Hood Canal Adventures’ Store / Office: 306146 Hwy 101 N, in Brinnon. Transportation into the forest is provided. Dog and kid friendly.

Book your tour online at hoodcanaladventures.com.

SEA NYMPH Oysters & Clams

Family-owned Verles Celebrates 75 Years in Business

This year Verles Sporting Goods has been celebrating an important milestone all summer long with celebrations, deals and events at their store so the community and customers could also shared this special occasion with them.

Verles has emerged into the full-service outdoor equipment and boat retailer from a small selection of hooks and leaders in 1948.

State Parks

2023 Free Days

Sept. 23 National Public Lands Day

Oct. 10 World Mental Health Day

Nov. 11 Veterans Day

Nov. 25 Autumn Day

Fjord

A fjord is formed when a glacier retreats, carving a U-shaped valley that the sea fills. Formed over 13,000 years ago, Hood Canal is not a canal, as defined by Captain Vancouver in 1792, but in fact the only fjord in the lower 48 states. Averaging 150' deep, Hood Canal is as deep as 600' in parts with areas on the bottom covered by glacial till.

"Dad cashed in his life insurance policy to buy more tackle, " recollects son, Arnie, when he speaks of the early days when the original store was located in his parents' garage, "this was spread over two 4’ X 8’ peg boards. To grow the business they were open 7 days a week and 24 hours. My Mom quit her job and ran the store during the day until my Dad came home from work."

As business grew Verle added a larger selection of fishing tackle. He added hunting, camping, boating & athletic supplies. The next move was purchase small boats up to 14’ and small out- board motors under 25hp for pickups or trailers."I bought the business from my folks in 1980. To honor my Dad the business name has remained the same all these years," continued Arnie.

Verles has had a variety of locations as the family and the business grew. In 1999 they designed "what they really needed," building their present location.

Verle's prides themselves on working hard to provide exceptional customer service with a knowledgeable staff.

"We don’t take our customers for granted," asserts Arnie, "our customers have meant everything to our business since the beginning and we hope to see the business continue into the foreseeable future."

THINGS TO DO FALLS TO FISHING

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MAP/LODGING SHELTON & KAMILCHE

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Situated between the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains in Mason County, is Hood Canal. A place filled with world-class activities, wild-caught fare, lively events, and plenty of places to hide away from it all when you just want the world to yourself.

Hood Canal is Washington’s wild side. And it’s here for you, when you’re ready to discover yours.

MAP/LODGING HOOD CANAL AREA

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Kayaking

Whether you seek tide-ripped saltwater passages, challenging whitewater, or lakes big and small, Hood Canal is a kayaker, canoer, or paddleboarder’s ideal destination.

A rich paddling community supports any adventurer’s vision; rental packages and lesson opportunities for the budding kayaker or paddleboarder are not in short supply. Get out on the water and enjoy a fresh perspective of the canal with colossal peaks towering overhead.